The Same Deep Water As You
by Eveline Wulf
Summary: Jamie never lived a conventional life in Santa Carla, California. When she returns home in the summer of '84, she will discover just how different she always has been from everyone else. She hasn't always seen eye to eye with her family, but they all must band together to protect their town from a new evil. David. Dwayne. Marko. Paul. Max.
1. Ride

I. "Ride"

* * *

><p>The summer of '84 was one hell of a ride. A harmless trip back home turned into a twisted path to self discovery, which forged a great divide along Hudson's Bluff and the rest of the dangerous, coastal town. Bridges were burned; no blood ran thicker than water. Santa Carla was their very own dark paradise: a serene place to call home when times were tough, or as tough as they could be for the undead, and a city to unleash violence and gore, when they were too fired up to give a damn. They once spray painted 'Murder Capital of the World' on the town's wooden welcome sign to warn wary travelers before they made a regrettable pit stop and also, to challenge the wicked to reveal themselves at night.<p>

There was a never-ending debate on when everything changed, but everyone could agree it all started when the prodigal child turned nineteen. Nobody understood how Max, the head vampire in their hierarchical lineage, raised an almost mortal child among monsters, without the macabre tainting her innocence or causing bloodshed. Max desperately tried to assimilate in Santa Carla and every other town he plagued before. His lost children of the night pillaged and stole whatever their cold hearts desired without her, the girl, who never broke or bent the rules.

Jamie, the adventurous ragamuffin blossomed into a mature, driven young woman. Her dreams led her to San Francisco in pursuit of freedom, but it was a short-lived college school year. The boys mocked her for copping out on the restless bohemian inside her. She knew once she left, it would never be the same, and surely, the road wasn't easy for her to get back into her throne. She reflected on her last memory of Santa Carla. The last time she ever saw their ageless faces; the bright, flickering flames shadowed their devilish smirks and laughter at the chaos they ignited.

A black Volkswagen bug begrudgingly rode the worn highway all the way to the crowded parking lot of the elusive boardwalk. Sweet scents of cotton candy and funnel cakes dominated the salty, ocean air. Jamie felt her stomach ache for the comfort food she often overindulged in as a child, while she roamed around the boardwalk just before sunset on that warm, summer day. She often would make meals of the sugary starches much to her father's dismay. She could see him playing the perfect father in her head, despite his dark secrets that she always protected. After all, she wasn't normal either and her unconventional upbringing would cause a riot if anyone knew the truth.

She couldn't decide what food to indulge in before she would see her father. He always wanted to meet at a place where the temptation was the hardest for her. It wasn't just the junk food, impulse vendor booths and cheap booze they sold before concerts, but rather something else, her only friends she was allowed to hang around growing up. The boys were why she never wanted to pursue a higher education. She wouldn't need it if she followed suit in the family business, but being stuck in an unsafe town wasn't what her father wanted for her. Especially after they burned down his last establishment.

Jamie suddenly lost her appetite. She was nervous now about her meeting with her father at his local video store. Her stomach knotted while she waltzed into a revamped space leased in a location closer to the ocean water. At first, she did a double take behind her to make sure she read the sign correctly, but there was enough neon in the place to ensure everyone knew where they were stepping into from miles away. The décor was trendy, expensive and flashy for a local video store.

A dark haired shop employee spotted Jamie, while her eyes wandered at the new store innovation. "Hi Jamie", the girl greeted with a smile. Her voice had as much bounce as the tight, coiled curls on her head. She strut her curves behind the counter to ring up a guest, despite her present conversation. Every time she saw her boss' daughter, she went overboard to ensure his daughter was getting world class service. "Your dad told me you aced your first year of college."

"Hey Maria", Jamie replied, while she gave an awkward wave. She hated when her father hyped up her return. Especially when every social activity and course she enrolled in was his doing. She was too modest to announce her accolades, and too polite to argue the correct facts. "I am back for the summer. I see you are still here working the day shifts."

"Well we all know your father isn't a morning person", Maria winked. "You have not missed much, girl. This town will never change. Although I must say, neither will most us."

Jamie released a short, unsettling laugh. Maria was always slyly hinting at their secrets. Her feet circled around a couple video racks, amazed at the cinematic variety, and she picked up a copy of Cujo. She smirked at the graphic cover art and heard barking in a strange coincidence. The sound morphed into a strange whimpering sound as a large, canine beast ran over to lick her shin. She set the video tape back on the wall shelf and bent her knees down to rub the creature's furry ears.

"Thorne, now behave!", a familiar voice commanded.

Thorne, the hound from hell, let out a disappointed growl, before he obeyed his strict master. His paws retreated behind the towering figure of her 'father', Max. He simply dropped down on all fours until commanded to serve a purpose. His days were spent waiting on Max, guarding him from any threats, and occasionally sniffing out a person who would make an interesting meal for the night.

"Dad, he's just-", Jamie started in Thorne's defense.

"Forgetting his manners around company", her father interrupted in a stern voice. Nothing short of complete obedience was acceptable for him. His tall frame overshadowed her as he opened his arms for her to be drawn closer to him. He had to admit something had changed about her. His heightened senses made him concerned. Perhaps, letting her spread her wings for a taste a freedom would backfire on him down the line. "You too old to give your old man a hug?"

His estranged daughter hugged him, her cheeks were squished from either his strength or shoulder pads, and she backed away to innocently look into his pleasant eyes. "I missed you", she confessed. The two cut their reunion short and moved away from the counter to give Maria space to help a customer. "I was almost afraid you weren't going to let me come home for the summer."

"I had to let you come home", Max stated. He reluctantly wanted her to return home, but it was time to cash in on his investment. He waited nineteen years for the chance of a lifetime. Time was ticking until the plan was executed. "Santa Carla is your home. Besides, it's safer here than letting you stay on campus with those fraternity boys who run on nothing but hormones. At least here I can have eyes watching you."

"About that-", Jamie nervously began. She gulped, finding it hard to swallow an invisible lump in her throat. How could she exactly admit to him that she blatantly ignored his lectures on dating? He only wanted her to focus on her studies and nothing more. She worried about disappointing him again. " I met someone and I don't want you to freak out. You would definitely approve of him. He's-"

"Max! They're outside!"

Maria pointed a finger in accusation to the window where four, rebellious young men parked their bikes illegally along the street curb. It appeared that the leader of the gang was already aware of the attention they stirred, but carried on without a care for being reprimanded. He smirked at Max in a silent dare to call them out on breaking the law. He broke eye contact to ogle a pair of young females dressed in mini skirts, who already caught his friends' attention. Whistles were heard from the other three who patiently awaited orders on where to proceed next.

"Do you want me to handle it?", Maria asked.

"No I got it!", Max yelled. He had told the boys a million times to respect the law; only it would take a million more for them to consider actually taking heed. His fuming eyes focused on the disappointed face of his daughter. He never wanted to be a parent, let alone 'the bad one'; so he offered a chance to redeem himself. "I'm sorry let's continue this later at the house. You can tell me everything. Take Thorne with you… if you want to feel safer."

"It's fine", Jamie sighed. It was nothing new to be ignored. "I'll just see you tomorrow. Come on, Thorne…" She stared down at Thorne. He gave her hope when he stood up, but he walked away and hid behind the counter over by Maria. He never left her father's side unless commanded strictly by him. She gave up on a hopeless cause. "Bye Maria. It was nice seeing you again."

"Hey Jamie", Maria called out. Her voice lowered when she met the taller brunette almost at eye level. She felt now would be the time to intervene before she got herself into trouble. "Be careful this time. Your father was really disappointed before you left. You shouldn't be hanging around them. They are never growing to grow up. You don't have to join them."

"Yeah, I know", Jamie retorted. She turned to face the door and dashed out of the blinding store that gave her a headache. She appreciated Maria looking out for her, but it wasn't that simple. She never was in her shoes, around the pressure to fit in and break free, all at the same time. It was a complicated web she weaved. She tried her whole life to ignore the side of her that wasn't human but they let her embrace it. It made her feel normal to be accepted.

* * *

><p>Jamie's memory drew a blank when she tried to remember where she parked her car. Her legs grew tired of pacing across the crowded parking lot, while the vultures rolled down their car windows to ask if she was on her way out, so they could sweep in on her parking space. She spent every waking minute growing up around the boardwalk, yet her memory was being clouded as if on purpose. She chalked it up to being a welcome home prank from the boys to mess with her, but they were probably preying on those females they spotted earlier. She wound up giving the boardwalk another shot for the night.<p>

She leaned her arms on a rail, which overlooked surf Nazis partying over bonfires at the beach, while she recognized the disgusting characters who taunted her plenty of times. The Surf Nazis were like roaches, they never seemed to stay dead and a new pest would take their place. They had no hidden secrets like The Lost Boys, but they invaded their turf and it usually got ugly when a new leader tried to rise up in their pitiful gang. She suddenly felt a chill on her arms.

"Some homecoming, huh?", a voice whispered into her ear. Or at least it felt like someone leaned directly into her ear. She turned around to see nobody behind her, until she was startled by a tall, mysterious figure off to her right. He had a lean and muscular build with a tan complexion, perfectly chiseled face and dark features. His long hair cascaded below his shoulders touching a necklace that was all he wore underneath a leather jacket. "You always were pouting about everything."

"I'm not pouting, Dwayne", Jamie argued. Her eyes turned away from him back to the direction of the commotion below. She knew he anticipated her temper to flare. She calmly collected her emotions and pretended to not care. "You jerks playing a trick on me again? I'd appreciate it if you would kindly remove whatever trick you are working so I can be on my way home…"

"That's right, Jamie's a big bad college girl", another voice was suddenly speaking on her left. He spun around so quickly her vision was blinded by swaying hair, which blocked her vision of him. His swift hands tousled her long, brunette locks to blind her from seeing him. He laughed as she swatted them away. "She thinks she is tough because she's got a boyfriend now."

Jamie whipped her head to her left, untangling the matted hair and was finally able to meet his eyes. He was an equally handsome blonde with long, curly ringlets, who pulled his hands away from his face to smile at her. His gloved hand had masked his lips that were holding back laughter until he finally let loose at her losing composure. "Very funny, Marko", she muttered, rolling her eyes at him.

"She might have a boyfriend now…", a third voice joined from behind them. "But we all know who she wishes it was…" He was about the same height and build as Dwayne, except he wore a split dress coat that was covering a mesh shirt and tight dirt stained pants. His feathered, long blonde hair and contagious smile could have melted any girl like the other two before him, but his cocky demeanor disgusted her. His laughter caused her to curse returning home.

"I'd tell you to drop dead but you clearly didn't get the memo the first time", Jamie fired back. She crossed her arms growing tired of their juvenile games. She forgot why she wanted to hang around them her whole life. Yes, most girls found them irresistible but it did come with complications in their maturity level. "So where's your fearless leader, Paul?"

"Chill out, girl", Paul reminded her, while he took a step closer. "He will be here soon." His bright blue eyes observed her wardrobe up and down, as he wondered what happened to the rebel they created. She willingly sported the trendiest outfit that looked like it belonged in a mall window. Instead, she was wearing it around the coolest biker gang in town and it gave him an icky feeling. This girl was definitely ruining their image.

"David isn't going to let me leave that easily, huh?", she asked them all. "I understand that Max gives him an earful about protecting me but I'm old enough to handle myself. I don't need you watching over me. I can control myself now. I've had a year of practice on my own without you guys."

"You're not going anywhere", Dwayne firmly stated. "We have orders."

"Besides your boyfriend isn't here", Paul reminded.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?", Jamie questioned.

"Nothing…I just wanted to give a friendly reminder that if I'm not getting any because I have to play babysitter…", Paul answered, as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket. "Neither will you."

"You're disgusting", Jamie turned away from him to face Marko. He was the only one who wasn't being entirely difficult tonight. She found his angelic face comforting even though he was the worst of the group when it came to mayhem. Still, it was easier to believe what her eyes fooled her into seeing on the surface. She knew she had made a grave mistake returning home, but it was too late to go back now.

Marko stared into her hazel eyes trying to read her thoughts, but no longer had the ability to anymore. His head tilted slightly as either he was losing a gift or she was barely coming into her own. Dwayne was the expert on mind reading, but his curiosity was consuming him. "You're different", Marko simply commented. "We didn't hide your car or put any tricks on your mind. We couldn't sense you-"

"That's enough", a fourth voice cut him off. The tone in his voice was as cold as the icy blues he stared out of, which could made anyone stop dead in their tracks. His authority was higher than the other three, but he still was forced to take orders from his maker, Max. His dark, trench coat touched the sidewalk while he made his over to them.

"Sorry, David", Marko apologized.

David stepped in asserting his dominance over the silent group. He glanced over at the weakling human, whom he learned to tolerate, and fed his ego while she trembled in fear of what he would do next. The two bickered for years, but he couldn't dispose of her, especially with her being the boss' daughter. "Max doesn't want you around us anymore, Jamie", David began, eying the rest of the boys to follow his command. "You never belonged with us in the first place. We're taking you back home."

"I-I can't find my car", Jamie replied. She couldn't say anything else.

"As of today…you don't have one anymore", David dryly chuckled. "Daddy's orders." His comment amused the rest of the boys. They wouldn't stop laughing as she felt her face flush in embarrassment. He headed away from the railing towards the boardwalk. His hand gesture jolted the others to follow his lead. " We're dropping you off at home, but don't get too excited one of us will be watching over you…"

Dwayne felt David would choose him to baby-sit the girl. He couldn't leave Jamie with Marko. He was too gentle with females even before he was turned. He used to be a hopeless romantic until David urged him to obliterate anyone who evoked such feelings, and all the carnage took it's toll on his brother. Paul would have gotten them all staked once he made a wrong move on her. He was always using the wrong head in scenarios. Girls pretended to be offended by his crude approach but that never stopped him from getting what he wanted. Surely, David would never leave his own pack unattended. David was always in control at all times.

Marko dissected the entire thing more than it needed. Jamie was not fully human, but she wasn't one of them either. They sensed this from the very beginning when Max returned home after a year of absence with her. At first, they figured he must have been duped into keeping her after he disposed of her parents. He pondered on the origins of her existence but it was beginning to give him a dull ache in his temple. It was best left undiscovered until David could fill them in later.

Paul was too busy disappointed in the delay of a date he arranged for the end of his night. Not because he was on a quest for true love or to get some action, he could have gotten it without trying, but because it was more exciting to play with his victims. His date was a waitress in a coffee shop around the corner or was that the girl from two nights before? All the girls merged into one enormous blur over time. His eyes followed a girl carrying a surfboard in a red bikini. He was moving his body to follow her in the opposite direction until Dwayne slapped the back of his head.

"Paul", David summoned. He waited for Paul to stop rubbing his head from the slight blow he took from Dwayne. His choice was unconventional, but it could never backfire on him. There was a light risk in choosing the latter, but David was chosen to manage the boys for a reason. This would be a prime example of how nothing could go wrong. He patted Paul on the shoulder after showing him his bike. "Take Jamie with you."

"Anyone but him, David", Jamie pleaded. She hesitated hopping behind Paul on his bike. The two would have killed each other with bickering, which is exactly what Jamie assumed David was trying to do to her. He wanted to make Jamie pay for leaving town, not because it caused him great sorrow or he gave a damn about her walking out when he finally gave her a chance for an 'in', but because he could.

"Why would you think you would have a choice?", David inquired. "I pick who you ride with."

"Why don't you just kill me now?", Jamie mumbled. Her legs straddled Paul's bike; she kept distance between Paul and herself on the seat. Falling off at a high speed seemed better than the hell she was in right now. She felt him grab her hands and place them around his torso. "I wasn't holding onto you for a reason."

"Quit your bitching", Paul lightheartedly joked. "And just hold on."

One by one they rode off into the night. The echoes of their laughter began to crash in waves down the boardwalk streets.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> The Lost Boys is the sole property of Warner Bros. This is purely a non-profit work of fiction.

**Author's Note:** Welcome to my first story for The Lost Boys fandom. I hope you enjoy reading The Same Deep Water As You. Feel free to leave feedback, favorite or follow. All make me incredibly happy :) Thank you!


	2. Night Diving

II. "Night Diving"

* * *

><p>The quiet made Paul uncomfortable. He had been abandoned about an hour before his cabin fever kicked in, which was more time than Jamie originally expected. She mutely read to herself in the living room, while his boots paced across every square inch of her father's house. Her eyes never once looked up even when she heard foreign objects topple over, glass crash and drawers being slammed. He knew better than to not put anything away, and she wondered who the real babysitter was in their situation. Even though he traveled around, he always made his way back to where she was and it was something music orientated that caught his eye at the moment.<p>

"Like this night could get any worse…", Paul groaned, while he miserably moped over the jukebox. He perused through the entire music catalog until the knob stopped. The neon lights glowed on his uninterested face as he banged his head repeatedly over the machine out of sheer frustration. It automatically jolted the speakers to blare The Beach Boys. "Ugh….I spoke too soon."

Jamie peaked her head out from over the couch to ensure her beloved antique was still intact. "Are you just going to whine about no 'rad' tunes?", she mocked him, before she continued to read a lengthy article on the perils of Santa Carla living. She wanted to pull him away from the expensive machine, but she couldn't pry herself away from the journalist who concocted a bogus theory on the mysterious disappearances. "How do you feel about alien abductions?"

"Aliens… What are you planning on running away with E.T.?" Paul laughed until he realized Jamie tried to have a real conversation. His feet led him to jump on an adjacent recliner where he lounged with his legs dangling from the furniture arms. He knew she hated when his filthy pants were on the furniture but Max had a housekeeper to clean up after them. "I say 'Why not?' We're real. There must be crazier shit out there in the world."

"Interesting perspective", Jamie commented, occasionally bobbing her head. She chucked the magazine article towards Paul so it could crash into his lap. She leaned up on the cushions to point out the pages she had flagged for him. "Look, Paul. Some moron swears there is a connection to all the disappearances. They are giving you guys way more credit for your dinner choices than you deserve."

"Well, yeah…", he agreed, his throat felt dry after being reminded of hunger. Maybe he could persuade her to order takeout and drain the poor delivery guy when she was preoccupied. They were never allowed to hunt in front of her ever, especially after he sucked the life out of her childhood nanny back when he was a newborn. "Now I'm hungry."

"David said to say here, Paul", she sternly reminded him. Her eyes warned him to stay put on the couch unless he wanted to face her wrath. "I'm not pissing Max off again. The summer just started. I'm surprised he even let me step foot into the video store after what happened last summer."

"So… We did him a favor in burning that dump to the ground. Deep down he is probably grateful we got him a swanky new space", he grinned, as he sauntered out of the living room to the front door. His long arms stretched upwards until he touched the ceiling. He imagined the roof being busted open to leave him free to roam the night. "What if we just go get food and come back?" His infectious smile persuaded her to rise to her feet towards him.

Her legs were drawn to his direction until they stared each other down face to face. Their heights almost matched except Jamie was an inch or two shorter. She knew it was wrong to leave, but David didn't have the Tasmanian devil cooped up without food. The one hour seemed like eternity. She needed to resolve his hunger and restore her sanity.

"I'm only doing this because I'm starving", she assured him, while she kicked on her canvas slip-on shoes. "And I have a few ground rules."

"Like?", he requested.

"We really just go get food and come straight back", she demanded, as she yanked a jean jacket out of the hallway closet. "And…no human meals tonight. I don't want to be ditched again because someone wants fresh meat."

"That was one time!", he argued, annoyed at her digging up the past.

"It was one time too many!", she said, while she raised her frustrated voice. "You took me to that pizza place downtown and ditched me for the first pair of legs you saw."

"That's ridiculous", he disagreed. "Everybody knows I'm not a legs man."

"Paul!", she scorned. "I'm serious."

"Fine…but I'm telling her your dad this was your fault", he admitted, while he walked out the front door. He held it open for her as she scrambled her purse looking for the keys. "I'm telling him you ran off to see your boyfriend."

"Impossible", Jamie scoffed. "He would rather have me pretending to be normal than raising hell with you."

"You got a point", Paul sighed. "Damn."

* * *

><p>"We shouldn't be here."<p>

"We have our orders, Marko", Dwayne assured his concerned friend. His rigid tone lowered once he saw Marko give him attitude. He was not content about their current situation either but they were given no choice. The two were standing outside of a mysterious shop hidden behind the highway. "David will be back soon."

Marko nervously kicked his boot on the cracked concrete. "He's been in there a long time", he commented, as he began to pick at the intricate detailing on his jacket. He couldn't keep still for once. He had never been on a mission like this from Max. "What do you think he's doing in there?"

"What's wrong with you?", Dwayne interrogated. He had a suspicion Marko was holding back more than he cared to admit. "All of a sudden you're worried over David not being able to handle himself. Did you see something again?"

"No", Marko honestly answered. "I just have a feeling something is wrong with Jamie. She's not like us, Dwayne. We could always tell but Max didn't take her from normal people. We can't just charm her into not remembering where she came from anymore."

"It's not our place to say where's she's from", Dwayne solemnly believed. He had felt guilt before but Max must have been protecting her all these years for a good reason. "Are you willing to put her life at risk? We don't even know what she is or what she will bring here… We can't stop what we can't predict."

"You're right", Marko agreed. His vulnerability succumbed to wiser logic. "Max wouldn't hurt his own daughter. He always wanted us to be like a real family until we got her in trouble..."

"Ah, prom night…", Dwayne reminisced with a devilish smirk. "What was the point of being invited to an all you can eat buffet and not sampling a few runner ups for prom queen?"

"We technically crashed by a second-hand invitation", Marko grinned, the screams of horrified teenagers still danced in his eyes. "We were unstoppable that night. I thought Jamie was going to go all 'Carrie' on us."

"Nah", Dwayne countered, as the two shared a good laugh. "She was born to be bad..."

* * *

><p>Arguments were heard in the corner booth of the Chinese restaurant. Heads were constantly turned when the heated discussion caused one of them to yell passionately on their stance. Luckily, the crowded place died down when the rowdy pair decided to bury the hatchet. Paul and Jamie had debated everything over several, scrumptious dishes on the wooden table.<p>

The booth was placed by the window which overlooked several shops on the immediate streets.

One in particular peaked Paul's interest. His head turned several times to scope out the neon sign. His wheels were already spinning on how to coax Jamie over once they got the check. He practically tore the bill away from the pleasant server. He couldn't stay still for very long. "I know where we should go", Paul started, while he flipped through a wallet from his latest victim.

"I can't eat another bite", Jamie gasped. She smiled at the lady who returned after she processed their bill and she gave her a few extra fortune cookies. She scooped one off the table before Paul swatted it out of her grasp. "Hey, I wanted that!"

"I know of something better than a damn cookie", Paul recommended, while his finger pointed through the glass to a business across the street with a symbol of a bright, purple crystal ball in their window. "If you're not chicken…"

"Please don't say chicken", she pleaded, her words full of regret from inhaling so much food. She placed a hand over her stomach. She extended her other arm out to check her watch. "We need to head home. Besides, those places aren't real."

"Jamie, we're not supposed to be real…"

"Fine, but I'm taking a cookie for the road."

* * *

><p>"Hershel, I'm not playing games."<p>

"I don't have any tricks up my sleeve anymore", Hershel Johnson sighed, his wrinkled finger plucked his glasses off his nose. He wiped away dust with his striped, button-down shirt. His lenses were shoved out of his aged hands and cracked onto the checkered tile. He stuttered in giving Max the answer he wanted.

"I can't have her remember where she came from…", Max started, picking up a tattered book from Hershel's desk. His grip tightened on the worn leather. He circled the wooden chair his acquaintance trembled on. "She is the only thing I have left in this world that's the closest thing to human. I need more time to tell her before she is scared off."

David bent an ear behind the curtain where Max cornered Hershel. His stubble pressed against the crushed velvet until a dog growled from behind him. He shooed the small Pekingese away with just one firm glare. He couldn't hear anything. Max was blocking out the sound. Again.

He was shocked Max controlled his temper around Hershel. A head vampire and an alchemist were an unlikely partnership in Santa Carla. Only it was nothing compared to the supernatural oddities that resided in their coastal town.

"My strength isn't what it used to be", Hershel confessed. "I can only recommend stronger dosages but nothing will be permanent. She eventually will discover what she can do. I can't help you anymore."

"There must be something but if there really isn't anything you can do…", Max mischievously trailed off, as he picked up Hershel's glasses from the ground. His fingernails scratched Herschel's crushed lenses as he handed them to him. "I would hate for Mrs. Johnson to become a widow."

"Don't go there, Max", Hershel pleaded. "I'm all she has left in this world after those beasts stole my boy."

"And who helped you settle the score?…", Max reminded. He glanced at the wooden grandfather clock whose deafening chime interrupted him. It was best if he left before things heated up. "I'll be back tomorrow night and you better have something. I don't want Jamie any other way but human."

Max vanished into thin air.

Hershel felt his heart wrench inside his chest. Buttons dropped to the floor once he anxiously ripped his shirt open to catch his breath. He had one ultimate trick up his sleeve but it would be the death of him.

* * *

><p>"How are you a psychic and close early?", Paul wondered, while he attempted to peak through the lace curtains behind the moist glass. The fog rolled in with no effect on his vision. "In movies, they always live in their shop somewhere."<p>

Jamie shivered, as she turned around to face her blurry surroundings. "Let's just go, Paul", she pleaded, through chattered teeth. She tried to pull her undershirt over her shorts with no luck. "I wish someone would just open the door right now. I'm freezing."

On cue, the squeaky door cracked open.

Paul and Jamie exchanged incredulous glances before they walked into the shop. Jamie shut the door behind Paul standing behind him slightly afraid. The place was filled with built-in book units with a mirror behind every case. The other half was decorated with enormous candelabras and strange trinkets.

"I swear if we found The Muensters' new home you're getting staked", she muttered to him, while he poked at an antique emerald pendant off the reception desk. "Don't touch that! I don't want to get cursed."

"Relax", he laughed, while he turned the corner to inspect the uninhabited business. He couldn't sense anyone human. "Besides, they were an all-American family who were no different than us. Guess that makes you the Marilyn, huh?"

"Shut up."

"Oh shit", he extended his arm to stop her from walking. His eyes widened as he sensed Max somewhere close to them. "Your dad is on his way home. We need to bail."

* * *

><p>Max opened the white gate to his home. His dress shoes clanked on the wooden boards as he suspiciously stopped to examine the scene. The place never burned down which was a good enough sign for him. He dropped to his knees once he saw Thorne dig at a plastic wrapper near a ceramic planter.<p>

"What did you find, boy?", he asked, while he tugged the object from his jaws. "A fortune cookie… those delivery guys are so clumsy."

"The service industry is going downhill…", David stated, while he chuckled and beat Max to the front door. He noticed it was unlocked and slightly opened. His hand pushed the door open afraid of what Paul had done to the place. He saw no damage had been done except. Perhaps, he was a better sitter than he imagined. "Paul…"

"I'm in here, bud", Paul called from the dining room. He was waiting for them by himself. He drummed his fingers on the tabletop to a rock tune he had stuck in his head all night. "I was wondering when you guys would show up."

"Where's Jamie?", he asked, slightly worried. His wary eyes tried to scout her whereabouts within the vicinity. He saw nothing which caused him to doubt his friend. His doubt kicked in when there was no second body around.

"In bed", Paul calmly responded.

David gave him a death glare. "In bed?" He dropped his head to lower himself to Paul's level. He needed better clarification on the vagueness Paul nonchalantly provided.

"Don't worry", he calmly replied. "She's alone. I wouldn't allow boys that would break the house rules. She pigged out on too many carbs or something and got sleepy. Go check for yourself…"

"It's unnecessary", Max cut David off, while he firmly stared at all them. He pulled out a wallet from a pocket located in the inner coat lining. He never forgot his manners in paying for their service. He knew the boys very well couldn't have jobs nor did he want them drawing attention to themselves over thievery. "I'm sure she didn't give you much trouble. How much do I owe you for the food?"

"Nothing", Paul replied, while he lifted off his chair. He dodged the cash Max tried slipping in his hands. He didn't need the money. He wanted to dine and dash but Jamie forced him to pay. "I got it from our kill we snatched last night."

"Oh great, blood money", Jamie surprised them. Her pajamas touched the crown molding while she leaned against the wall. She rubbed her tired eyes and yawned a couple times. Her teary eyes blurred the scenery ahead of her.

"Jamie, you have to be up early tomorrow", Max started. His tone was familiar. He used to exercise it when he wanted her nanny to put her to bed before he left to work at night. He hoped she would get the cue again after all these years. "I need you to help Maria out with inventory prep."

"I figured rent wouldn't be free", she sighed. She pointed behind her while she walked backwards down the hall. She almost stumbled on her slippers when she hit a ceramic vase on the ground. "I'll be sleeping in the guest house tonight. I don't want to wake you in the morning when I leave. Goodnight everyone." She eventually made it to the end and shut the door behind her.

The five waited until it was safe to carry on with their conversation again without her ears around.

"Some babysitter", David sneered, while his eyes were fixated on Paul. "She wasn't even asleep. What if she heard us?"

"I actually wanted to discuss that…", Max began, while he seated himself on the table. He motioned for the other boys to join them. "We all have to be extra careful about things we say around her now." As they obeyed, he removed the translucent beige frames from his face. He slowly paused unsure of how to confess his secretive past. "I have to tell you something about Jamie…"

"She's adopted", David mocked, while he stood up from his seat. He leaned across the table from Max. He controlled the discussion table and now it was closed. "We know you stole her from somebody and are manipulating her with magic. Let's get moving, boys."

"I never stole her", Max challenged David, while he instantly flashed behind David. He roughly shoved him down in his seat. He kept his hands over his shoulder for a minute for him to stay put.

This conversation was far from over.

"Now behave", Max commanded. "I'm in no mood for games tonight."

"Fine", David surrendered, through a tightened jowl. "What is the big secret, Max?"

"What do you know about witches?"

"They shouldn't really stand where houses can fall on them", he smugly responded, before he faced his amused pack.

"Real nice", Max sarcastically responded. "You should share that wisdom with Jamie."

"She's not-", David was stunned. "I could tell if she had some sort of powers. She is harmless."

"I had a little help from Hershel Johnson."

"He's past his prime", David stated. "No wonder you're scared of her finding out."

"She would find out anyways", Max shrugged. "Her mother was a witch. I met her in New Orleans. It was a mature courtship. Not the smut you crazy kids engage in on vacation. She was a powerful witch and I deeply cared about her. I even thought of having us move there… but she died during childbirth."

"This whole other side of you is disturbing-", David admitted."..and disappointing at the same time."

"I'm still on vampires reproducing", Paul added, while he raised his hand. "Anyone else?"

"I found it difficult to believe myself but hybrids exist in this world", Max explained. "Supernatural beings breed like mortals just not with them. At least I think so-"

"The sun is coming up soon", Dwayne sensed.

"We need to leave", David ordered. "Try not to have her come crying to us, Max. We always have to pick up the pieces with that girl once you do your damage."

"You really do suck at parenting", Marko admitted.

"Yeah, the girl will probably need therapy", Paul agreed. "We're lucky if she doesn't put hexes on all of us."

"She won't", Max replied. "I saw how all this will turn out. You'll see…"

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: **The Lost Boys is the sole property of Warner Bros. This is a nonprofit work of fiction.

**Author's Note:** Huge thanks to those of you following the story! I did change the name from The Same Deep Water As You to a simpler title. I apologize for any confusion. I admit that I was scared to gamble on revealing Jamie's secret from Max's perspective. Is he really telling the truth? I can't say but I will definitely touch on the chapter being very Paul and Jamie centric. Jamie is closer to discovering things when she has someone adventurous leading the way into the truth. Nobody else fit the bill of not listening to orders from David but him. As always, I would love to hear what you thought. Thank you again for taking time to check the story out :)


	3. Medicine

III. "Medicine"

* * *

><p>The medicine tasted almost metallic while the bitterness surged down her throat. Jamie coughed as the crude liquid went down the wrong pipe. She hated the liquid supplements her father recommended to improve her health. Strong as an ox wasn't exactly what she was going after these days. All she wanted was a normal existence outside of the monsters that raised her. She grew tired of their games. There was never any consistency with them. One minute she wasn't allowed to drive her car, now her keys to freedom were dangling in front of her off the hanging rail near the door.<p>

Jamie yanked her keys down and stormed out of the house. She contemplated packing up and heading back to her apartment in San Francisco. It would be better if she went back to the city without being forced to obey Max's every rule. She didn't understand why she missed them when she was gone. Her change of heart came suddenly after being reminded of the independence she never had in the first place. All she wanted was to be free of everything. She would show them someday she could be strong enough to not need their protection. She did well in school, she built reliable relationships, she worked an honest job and managed to find someone who believed she was like everyone else. _Andrew_…

She completely forgot about calling Andrew. Her brain was already in a daze the minute she stepped foot into Santa Carla. She was so overworked about her dysfunctional family she forgot about the other normal life she built outside of this place. She could probably give him a call in an attempt to dodge conversations with Maria. As nice as the girl was, Maria overindulged in too much information all the time. Her father promised Maria would be one of them eventually when he found a trustworthy replacement but that was four years ago. She was never going to be the first Lost Girl.

She parked her car and wrote down where she parked this time to beat them at their tricks. She passed a vendor who sold coffee and picked one up for herself along with an extra for Maria. Even though she didn't want to get too close, Maria probably had secrets to spill that she could use to her advantage. She couldn't remember how she liked her coffee, but it was the thought that should have counted. She politely put on her pleasant salesperson personality as she rounded the corner to the video store.

Maria's bloodshot eyes were staring down at a mile high stack of papers on the glass counter. She glanced up at Jamie feeling grateful for the extra cup of coffee in her hand. "Is that mine?", she asked, about to yank the warm cup despite the given response. She smiled as Jamie nodded and immediately started to drink the caffeinated liquid. "I needed this badly, Jamie. Thank you."

"Don't mention it", Jamie grinned, while her eyes immediately rolled down to the inventory lists on the counter. She wanted to spill coffee over everything and ditch all the evidence but it would have to be done eventually. Max would probably make her re-staple everything personally. "I see we have a lot of work to do today. I figured I would start early to-"

"Be off early?", Maria questioned, with a chuckle. "I try that every time and your dad usually makes me stay an extra hour. I need the money so I don't complain if I get cash under the table. It's not like I have a hot social life these days."

"Who does when you work for my dad?', Jamie agreed. She sat down on a stool while taking a long chug of coffee to perk herself up for the long day. She couldn't understand how Maria didn't ditch the job, but it would probably be her head if she left knowing what Max really was beneath the yuppie facade he wore. She was a prisoner to this place like Jamie.

"At least you have San Francisco", Maria reminded. "Tell me everything. It's a long day and I haven't seen you in forever."

"There's not much to tell…", Jamie began, her fingers scratched her forehead. "I'm living in my own place. I'm up the street from school. I'm a few blocks from my job. I work at a bookstore. It's lame but it gives me extra spending money. I don't like Andrew paying for everything."

"Andrew?', Maria inquired, as she kinked an eyebrow. Maria was shocked Max allowed her to have a boyfriend. He was so protective of his daughter. She was supposed to give him any information on crushes, dates and whereabouts of his daughter since she was in high school. "I see we found ourselves our first boyfriend."

"He's great and nothing like the guys here. He's older than me by a couple years…", Jamie commented. She was slightly nervous talking about him in front of Maria. She understood the words spoken between them weren't always just between both parties. She would probably babble to her father on every dirty detail so she kept it brief. "We're happy and there's not much else to say about it…"

"You didn't want to date any of the boys?", Maria teased. She tossed her empty coffee cup in the trash. She always found it a mystery of why Jamie was never entranced by their alluring good looks. Even though they were never technically siblings, she seemed immune to their sexual presence. "Most girls on the boardwalk want them."

"Most girls wind up missing", Jamie countered. She lost her desire to ingest anything and placed her coffee cup on the ground away from the paperwork. She was disgusted Maria would even insinuate her wanting to date the undead. "I'm sure my dad would flip out about Andrew let alone one of his own."

"Think of it as being one big happy family", Maria smiled. "He had to give his stamp of approval to David on all of them. They were all picked for a reason." She headed to the back to pull more supplies. "I'll be back in a couple minutes. I need to grab a few more things."

Jamie heard bells chime signaling a customer arrived. She groaned, being in no mood to actually help guests find film recommendations and felt guilty when she saw it was just an elderly man. She turned to face Hershel Johnson who removed his hat once he passed the dog statue. She had never met him before she oddly felt that she had known him for years.

Hershel Johnson moved towards her with a pleasant smile on his wrinkled face. "Good afternoon", he greeted. His eyes scanned around the store realizing time was ticking before Maria would return. "I'm Hershel Johnson. You must be Jamie. Your father has told me so much about you. It's a pleasure to meet you finally." He walked over to the counter holding out his hand to offer a handshake.

Jamie unreservedly grasped his hand and firmly shook it before releasing it. She had never heard of him before but she welcomed him into their business. "It's nice meeting you, sir", she politely added, before she stood out from behind the counter. "How can we help you today? Sorry the counter is a mess, we are getting ready for inventory."

"It's not a problem", Hershel assured. He was nervous to approach her directly. It was one thing to deceive her without ever seeing her but now she was breathing in front of him and it made him realize the damage he caused her all these years. The girl was an innocent in everything who was tangled in a monstrous world. "I came by to drop off the supplements I've been making for you guys."

"Oh, so you're the one who makes them", Jamie said, mentally connecting the dots. She hated the vile stuff but it was only courteous to compliment him. Now wasn't exactly the time to offer suggestions for improvements. "I was raised on that stuff. I have never been sick a day in my life thanks to you. It's so nice to finally meet you."

Hershel reached in the pocket of his tweed jacket to grab one substance. "I'm glad to hear the old family recipe still works on people", he started, before his compassion dominated the direct orders from her father. He immediately removed an amber bottle from the counter and swapped it out for a sapphire one. "Take this one, dear. This is an improved formula with a better taste."

"Thank you", Jamie expressed her gratitude. She placed the bottle in her hands to examine the opalescent liquid shimmering inside the bottled glass. Visually this was an improvement from the previous formula. She hoped it tasted better than the one she swallowed earlier. "I look forward to taking it tomorrow morning. It already looks so different."

"You will feel the difference trust me", Hershel agreed, as he placed his brown hat on top of his balding head. He pulled out an envelope with her name written on it. He knew this would be the last time he would ever see her. He had crossed her father beyond the point of no return. "I want you to open this when you are alone. You will need this soon. It belongs to you."

"Oh, okay", Jamie nervously grabbed the thick padded envelope and tucked it into her purse. She turned to see the door was still closed to the stockroom. She didn't understand why she did everything this man said but she could feel that his mysteries were for her benefit. "Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Hopefully I see you soon."

Hershel left everything unsaid and simply smiled before tipping his hat off before he exited the door. Once the door was opened, Jamie felt chills run down her arms from the beach breeze. Only it wasn't the ocean winds. It was death slowly trailing the man who finally shed light to her dark world. She would never be able to thank him for unknowingly saving her that day in the video store.

* * *

><p>Dreams were regular for vampires. Nightmares weren't exactly normal dreams for creatures of the night. They were the supernatural predators that defied human nature. Their very existence spawned horrific imaginings of peril and despair to mortals. Most vampires had inherited mystical traits from the ancient bloodlines. It could take centuries for a vampire to master their development. Some would never be awakened into their gift. Others could perish from being too weak, allowing their talents to destroy them. Max rigorously trained all his boys to channel what made them unique. They were truly an army of the undead.<p>

Marko had precognitive visions that protected the gang for years. Dwayne was always so reserved caught in his own head from the telepathic chatter he overheard. Paul, the pyromaniac, could manipulate fire and burned most of Max's competitors down in flames. David's telekinesis could manipulate any object with his mind along with sensing powers others could possess. They were still susceptible to holy water, daylight and stakes to the heart. They were not invincible despite what David believed. Although, they survived years without destroying each other.

Dwayne woke up a few minutes before sunset. His claws clasped the cold metal bar that suspended them in the air. He turned to face David on his left who was smirking in his sleep. He could hear his dreams of gore and violence which was nothing new for David. He often dreamed of rising up the ranks in their pack hierarchy. Most of these dreams involved obliterating Max or surrendering him to the enemy. Either made David happy without a pesky paternal influence. Everything was normal with him so he turned to his right.

Paul was always reflecting on the gang's wildest nights. He never had drama in his life or buried in his subconscious. His dreams usually involved being a rock star. It was cliché but nobody had a deeper connection to music like Paul. Every musical note could reanimate his lifeless body which showed as his long locks bopped along with every imaginary tune. The dreams usually swerved into inappropriate territory off stage when the screaming females flocked to him after the show. He had to get out of his head and tuned into what was going on with the last of their group.

Marko felt more emotions than any vampire Dwayne had ever known. He found it refreshing to be reminded of being human but he worried it would upset David. Once he had a growing suspicion, he was relentless until the case was solved. He dreamed of his former life often but even more about what the future held for them. It always intrigued Dwayne to see the world how Marko could. Dwayne could only hear what was going on in the moment but Marko could get a visual picture. He was only reflecting on the night before which gave Dwayne peace.

Dwayne jumped to the floor. His talons detonated a cloud of dirt and dust from the cavern floor. He could have flown out of the tunnels, but he did wake up earlier than expected, so he crawled towards the entrance. The sunlight no longer reflected in the wooden slats of the tunnel. He was safe to move onward and crawl out to the dilapidated hotel lobby. He touched the cold flesh of his feet transforming the misshapen toes to something human again. He walked over to the metallic tool chest and opened a drawer.

Dwayne could only get a short period of silence before he heard another shoot out of the tunnel and land onto the fountain with laughter. Paul was the second to wake up most nights due to his lust for adventure. He yanked a joint of his pocket and lit it with a snap before he inhaled. "What's going on, bud?", he grinned. He could tell Dwayne was trying to get some work down on his bike. He stood up and circled the concrete perimeter to stay active. He yanked the long fabric hanging from Dwayne's pants to snap him out of his own head. "I said, what's going on?"

Dwayne shrugged while he organized the drawer slots. "Nothing, man", he answered, not in the mood to discuss the previous night. Max had thrown them in a difficult position. Jamie was the girl they were ordered to protect for years. She had miraculously seen them for who they really were beneath the tough exterior they wanted to exude. "What do you want to do tonight?"

"Anything to avoid Jamie", Paul said, with his joint raised for Dwayne. He released the burning paper from his fingertips and ran his hand through his unkempt hair. His memory sparked him to remember a failed attempt at visiting a psychic last night that could have been an interesting kill. He would have to come clean about finding the psychic in the first place if he wanted to revisit. "We snuck out last night. I forgot that she can be kind of fun sometimes when she isn't bitching about breaking the rules."

"She can be at times", Dwayne nodded. His dark gaze suspiciously eyed his brother. He could only imagine the lunacy Paul was going to get them into with her around. He enjoyed getting Jamie into trouble as much as the others, but he always felt compelled to protect her from their tormenting taunts. Part of him wanted her to be normal like her kind. She was safer in the end. "We have to stay away, Paul. She will be better off without us."

"I know, I know."

"He's not going to stay away", Marko's voice echoed. He peered down at them from a rock hill until his feet slid along with rocks down to the cracked tile where the others stood. "Paul never listens to anything anyone says for too long. It's why he's my best friend and it's why we are going to help Jamie."

"There's no helping her", David joined. The boys were stunned to find him instantly sitting down in his wheelchair with a calm expression on his face. "We are going to let her figure this out without us. I'm not buying that Max is her real father. Whoever she comes from will eventually find her. I've never had more clarity since she has been around. They will destroy Max and we will be free."

"That's not what Max said", Marko noted. "He said everything will be fine."

"It's what I wanted him to think", David corrected. "You think he's the only one to get Hershel to doctor up an illusion. I had to find something to slip into his favorite scotch bottle. The old geezer didn't cost much to buy out and betray him. You see, nobody wants to take orders from him and when all this is over… we won't ever have to again."

There was something sinister in David's eyes. He had no ill feelings toward Jamie but wanted to gain control of his pack once again. They were misfits who defied their parents when they were alive. Max pitied them and gave them immortality to make up for their lack of familial belonging. They became a gang of dangerous runaways who owned the night. Over the years, the boys bonded as brothers and decided they no longer needed a master to control them. Freedom was closer than ever. David reveled in the thought of finally being able to roam wild in Santa Carla without any restrictions.

The Lost Boys would reign forever.

* * *

><p>The longest shift was almost over for an exhausted Jamie. Her side-swept fringe limply hung with the rest of her tired tresses. Her face hardly ever packed on makeup except for an occasional swipe of blush and mascara. She never really cared about her presentation most nights but being around Maria made her reconsider. Maria's deep olive skin was already a terrific base for a fresh face.<p>

Jamie could tan but her honey tone skin barely appeared sun-kissed for a California girl. She desperately searched inside her bag for anything to revive her appearance. _Oh great_, she thought. A tampon and gum wasn't necessarily going to win her makeover of the century. The bottle Hershel gave her rolled out from under the pocket. She saw Maria curiously eye the contents of it.

"Is that a perfume?", Maria inquired. "I would love to borrow some after all the sweating I've done today with the air being on the fritz."

" Um, yeah it is..", Jamie lied. She couldn't lie to Maria it would be like directly sharing everything to Max. She sensed that everything should be kept under wraps for Hershel's sake. Why else would he secretly address an envelope to a person he never met? It could have poison but it was for Jamie to decide not anyone else. "It's brand new. Smells fruity."

"Great, thanks", Maria responded. "I will put it on after I change in the bathroom real quick." She exited the store to change in the bathrooms around the corner of the store. She would probably be gone for a couple minutes if there was a line or a queasy stomach that couldn't handle The Big Dipper.

Jamie couldn't hide the bottle from Maria she would want to use it. She couldn't waste the liquid either it seemed important to Hershel. Her only solution was to drink what possibly could have been the worst tasting medicine ever. She bent behind the counter and untwisted the black cap. She figured it wouldn't hurt to drink it all it's not like the old man would feed her poison. The liquid tasted sweet and was delectable while she chugged it completely. It was only a health supplement. She dropped the bottle forcing it to crack and collected the pieces.

"Oh no! It broke!", Maria exclaimed, while she handed Jamie a trash can to drop the cracked glass inside. She wondered where the liquid went if there was only glass that remained. She could only fathom the rest spilled inside Jamie's purse. "I'm sorry if you dropped it bringing it out for me. You should probably get everything out of your bag if it spilled inside."

"It's not your fault, Maria. The bottle was practically empty anyways", Jamie hiccuped. She covered her mouth to excuse herself. The substance tingled while it coursed through her system. She was unsure of how a simple syrup could have side effects so rapidly. "It was mine. I'm just a walking disaster."

"Maybe you should go eat something", Maria suggested. "All you had was caffeine. You seem a little jittery."

"You're probably right", Jamie agreed. She grabbed her purse and continued to hiccup a couple times. "Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No thanks", Maria responded. "Your dad should be on his way. I can eat after I'm off."

"Okay, well thanks."

Jamie faked a turn to her favorite food stand. She leaned against the painted mural against the wall and gasped a few deep breaths. She felt perfectly fine when she stopped panicking. She should have just eaten before taking anything on an empty stomach. Her pulse felt weak. She collapsed on the littered ground while the scenery spun around her. It only lasted a few minutes before she felt energy surge into her veins.

"Jamie?", Dwayne's voice was heard within the blur. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know", Jamie answered, while her eyes adjusted back to normal. She saw his tall silhouette drop down to help her stand up. She could feel his icy skin grip her hand. He guided her to a bench to rest. She couldn't explain what happened but he could tell what she was thinking. "I haven't really eaten and I think I had too much coffee today."

"Well I can get you anything you want", Dwayne offered. He rested his hand on her slender thigh until he realized she was wearing a skirt. He pulled his hand back afraid of offending her. Her mind was racing about a million things that he couldn't understand. She used to be normal now her thoughts were on overdrive. "What can I get you?"

"Anything at this point", Jamie sighed. She was relieved just to see him. "I could go for a cheeseburger…"

"Cheeseburger is what you will get", Dwayne smiled. "You stay here. I'll be back soon."

"Thank you", Jamie grinned. "Oh, and see if they have fries!"

* * *

><p>The crumpled wrapper was crushed between Dwayne's long fingers. He silently gobbled down the greasy delight and started dipping his fries in a ketchup cup. His eyes were fixated on Jamie trying to hear her deepest thoughts. There was nothing he could tune into except for choppy sound waves. "Are you going to tell me what you really took instead of coffee?", Dwayne asked. He never stopped mowing through his meal during his interrogation.<p>

"I don't even know where to begin", Jamie explained. She put down her half eaten cheeseburger on the paper lined tray. She knew his telepathy could have yanked any information that she stored in her brain. Only this was his attempt at a conversation which was rare for Dwayne. She confided in him because he was tight lipped about everything. He could keep a secret unlike the rest of the boys. She pulled Hershel's envelope from out of her purse and placed it in front of him. "I guess it started when someone gave me this today."

"Secret admirer?", Dwayne cocked an eyebrow.

"No, he's really old", Jamie replied. "I think he knows my father. I mean, _really_ knows him."

"Really?", Dwayne pretended. He grabbed the envelope and flipped it around to see the seal had not been broken. He could feel the envelope contained something slightly heavy but couldn't distinguish the contents. He surrendered it back to her. "What do you think it says?"

"I have no idea", Jamie admitted. "All I know is he is the guy who my dad gets our weird medicine from, you know, the stuff that Thorne won't even touch. I don't think it's medicine anymore. I downed a whole bottle so Maria wouldn't tell my dad and I swear it's messing with my head."

"Anything can make you feel weird without eating", Dwayne argued. He nudged her cheeseburger leftovers towards her direction. "You should finish your food. I don't think it's anything to worry about."

"Why is it that I always feel crazy when I try and explain anything to you guys?", Jamie quietly asked, her head hung low from embarrassment. "Just forget it."

"Date not going well?", Marko interrupted from the side of their table. His grin was wide until he got the hint from Dwayne to drop the humor. He obviously interrupted a moment that made it awkward. He decided to find another brother to torment. "I'll be leaving now. Forget I was even here…"

"You should just open it", Dwayne suggested. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Jamie nodded, while she ripped the tape off the envelope. She pried the package open and turned it upside down. A metallic flash glimmered past her onto the table. She saw flecks of emerald twinkle on a pendant that was all too familiar. It was the one Paul poked at last night at the counter. _How did Hershel wind up with it?_, she thought. She looked up at Dwayne assuming he knew everything she did.

"Is something wrong?", Dwayne asked. He couldn't hear her thoughts on the mysterious necklace. He thought she was drawing a blank until he realized it shielded her thoughts from him. The pendant seemed to guard her from his abilities. Although she left him in the dark, one thing was perfectly clear to him. Nobody could sway her from the truth she would discover.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>**The Lost Boys is the sole property of Warner Bros. This is a nonprofit work of fiction.**  
><strong>

**Author's Note**: Thank you Raindrop for your review! I took your suggestion and changed the title back because I've got a soft spot for The Cure who inspired the title. I appreciate everyone who has read the story. It's going slow but I'm constantly trying to pack in information that will be useful down the line. I did introduce my pairing already so we will see how their story unfolds. I would love feedback on what you guys think :)


	4. When The Levee Breaks

IV. "When The Levee Breaks"

* * *

><p>The necklace captivated their attention for a long moment after she ignored his previous questions. Dwayne had no connection to her thoughts while she held it in her hands. The center pendant transitioned into a clouded amethyst when Jamie slipped the necklace over her neck. The gemstone quickly reverted back to it's normal emerald color. He could feel that she bonded with the aged jewelry. He found it rather strange considering it was not an old friend who gave her the gift, but rather a mystical stranger.<p>

"It suites you", Dwayne complimented, his words cut through silence.

"Thanks", Jamie responded, her finger softly stroked the pendant. She was enamored by the new treasure she possessed. She didn't know Hershel, but she was grateful he walked into the store and gave her the necklace. For years, she felt there was a part of her missing. She often figured it was being held down by an overprotective father. Now, she believed it was because her and the necklace were apart. It was odd to feel an inanimate object could complete her, but she sensed it was meshed into her identity. "I'm sorry my thoughts must be giving you a headache."

"I can't hear you", Dwayne confessed, his dark eyes apprehensively darted between the table and her necklace. He suspected it guarded her or would unbind her powers. Either meant her father would rip someone to shreds. He knew it was only time before Jamie began asking too many questions none of them were equipped to handle. For years, they fooled her into believing she was nothing supernatural by some divine miracle and now the charade was over.

"What do you mean?", Jamie worried. She uncomfortably shifted around in her seat. She was afraid to hear what his answer would entail. She wanted to blend in somewhere not stick out. The last thing she needed was to be different from them. "You can always hear me, right?"

"Yes, I normally do…", Dwayne nodded. His voice lowered significantly along with his hanging head. His hidden grief over losing such a connection to the mortal world was becoming clearer to even himself, so he shook it off before she caught on to him. "But, you're a mystery to me now."

"You seem disappointed", Jamie replied, awkwardly avoiding his eye contact. She dared to challenge the armor he guarded himself with for so long. "I thought you would be happy to have a break. Doesn't it bug you to always hear people talking?"

"A little…", Dwayne admitted. His fingers picked at the cheap napkins piled in between them. He shocked himself about how easily he could admit his feelings. He was a vampire who was supposed to have none. "Some days are better than others. I guess I haven't found something to focus on that was strong enough to stop it."

"Well, I have an idea of how to drown it out", Jamie suggested, her lips curved into a wide smile. She picked up her trash and lifted a leg off the bench seating. She tossed her tray on the top of the lidded trash bin. "But you have to hurry… it's almost time."

"Time for what?", he asked, slowly catching onto the spontaneity she had inside her.

Dwayne promptly hung on her every move and quickly followed suit. He even spilled a wrapper which missed the garbage. He was following her down the concrete stairs to the crowded beach when he felt someone watch them. He whipped his cautious head around to find there was nobody in the crowds except for the usual town locals and he carried on behind her swift legs. He could use a good distraction tonight.

The trash wrapper toppled towards a sequin skirt which skimmed the floor. The tumbling waste met the glimmering beads until the paper disintegrated the minute the forces touched. Emerald eyes were peering down from the balcony overlooking the beach. They zeroed in on the unsuspecting pair heading towards the concert stage set up on the sand. There was nothing in the shadows visible except for the matching pendant with a violet light. Porcelain hands clutched the necklace until it faded to black.

* * *

><p>Crimson sprayed in the salty, smoky air. Malevolent laughter echoed through the humid summer night. Blood seeped into the ebony mesh on Paul's chest. The stunned prey he fed on was violently tossed to David. Once the heartbeat completely faded away, the drained corpse was thrown into the skeletal pyre composed of very unlucky surfers. Most of their victims were surf Nazis who mistakenly bad mouthed them a time or two. Others were violent scum, whose presence polluted Earth. Although, not every prey met a code. There was never any pattern to link the disappearances.<p>

David wiped away the criminal evidence from his stained cheek. He had quenched his demonic thirst for mayhem. He licked his lips to savor the remnants of his night's meal. Blood always tasted better from the wicked. He swore he could capture the essence of their rotting souls. He delighted in sampling sins and evil pleasures. He never removed the delinquency off the streets out of a moral obligation to withhold justice, but because the bad ones suited his palette. He turned to face a revitalized Paul, who jumped around and smiled madly from the feeding. "We need to leave now", David ordered, as he headed out of the woods. "Something is coming…"

"What?", Paul curiously asked. His legs almost doubled in speed to tail David. Their fast paced walk escalated into a superhuman flight for the twinkling lights on the boardwalk. He wondered what David had mysteriously been drawn to from out of nowhere. He hated when David made him hustle. In fact, he disliked being told what to do all the time. But when they had to haul ass, he could bet there was serious business to throw down.

Paul almost lost David in the crowd of locals. He couldn't maintain the same momentum despite his supernatural stamina. He saw Marko sweet talking a petite blonde by the Diet Frozen Yogurt place. The girl had a wallflower friend off to her side, who eagerly watched the crowd in vain, with the hopes of being approached too. He couldn't resist a cute and shy creature. The wrong head steered him towards the easy pickings, but he growled while he blew that opportunity away for his pack leader.

David halted away from where the pair stood. His piercing stare could have turned his subjects to stone. The drunk dancers at the boardwalk concert blocked his view momentarily but he saw Dwayne and Jamie amidst the crowd. He needed to yank them away from the evening musical entertainment so he weaved through the concertgoers. He whispered something in Dwayne's ear, which caused him to relay the message to Jamie and whatever he blatantly said made the three hustle towards Paul.

The four exited to a private part under the boardwalk bridge in a shadowed tunnel. David periodically turned over his tense shoulder to remain discreet. "We have a problem", he started, simple and grave about the looming danger. He didn't want to panic the group, but they needed to be prepared for whatever was coming for Jamie like Hershel foretold. "We need to grab Marko and leave immediately. I'll tell you everything at the cave."

Dwayne wondered what had happened to make David retreat to their hideout. He knew whatever it was scared his fearless leader. His instinct was to guard Jamie while they lined out of the arc to collect Marko. He guarded the end of the line to ensure nobody could sweep in without his acknowledgment. Paul turned back to face him a couple times wondering why they kept a formation going all the way towards the carousel. He would give an occasional nod to let his friend know everything was under control.

When they finally tracked down Marko, he was getting chummy with the blonde from earlier by a game booth. His eyes widened when he caught a glimpse of the stampede headed to the stools by the nearest shooting lane. There was no time to extended apologies or reschedule a rain check with the girl, so he just bailed. His shorter frame got in line with his pack to their parked bikes. "What's going on?", he asked Paul, with an inaudible whisper.

Paul shrugged his shoulders while he suspiciously eyed Jamie take Dwayne's hand while he assisted her in jumping behind his bike. His comical facial expression made Marko laugh while they silently joked amongst each other about the two. Dwayne still believed in chivalry even though Paul claimed it should have died with him in his human life. His anxious fingers tightened around the handle ready to leave and his hand was ready to give the signal to get moving into formation. Until he saw Max…

* * *

><p>Hershel Johnson waited on death. His deception would end his life when the betrayed came around to settle the score. He welcomed his new foe to rightfully smite him with vengeance. Truth was, he had been dead for decades when his son Matthew was murdered by supernatural forces in the very room he sat alone in. The parlor lamp illuminated the dust particles off bookcases in his study. The collection ranged from everything he devoted his life to such as magical formulas to offbeat children books leftover from Matthew. His wrinkled hands touched the musty paper to flip a page until a gust of wind blew open the double windows. His heart skipped a beat. The flapping curtains halted before he turned his head to face calm scenery. He must have been imagining things out of fear.<p>

"It's good to see you Hershel", a voice pleasantly spoke.

Hershel turned to face a feminine figure lounging in the leather chair across from him. The woman had dark, wavy hair down to her collarbone. Her eyes were a bright sea green which glowed even in the low lighting. She had a mischievous smirk which pursed her plump lips. She was no older than forty on the surface but her physical appearance tricked everyone. She sat with complete confidence in the alchemist's presence for her magic was stronger. Her legs were crossed while she waited for him to utter a single word.

"Cat got your tongue?", she chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't be long. I just came for something you promised me before you pass… I hope you don't me jumping to conclusions about your near death. You know as well as I that Maxwell is a testy fellow. Nice job giving Jamie the wrong potion by the way. I always thought you were a tight ass old man but you always could surprise me… "

"He won't let you have her", Hershel managed to speak. His arms were crossed over his sweater vest. "The girl has no recollection of who she is after all these years. You coming into town won't save her even after I unbound her powers. His plan is much bigger than yours. Vengeance isn't always the answer. Think of the girl… She doesn't deserve to be put in harm's way. The boys can-"

"Protect her?", she scoffed. "Oh, please! Those vampires are too young to ever understand self control. All they care about is partying all night and it's their negligence that will put her in danger. I'm not here out of anger. Although, I feel that everyday for what he did to my sister…but she deserves to know who she belongs to…She's apart of my family too. In fact, the girl is all I have left in this stupid world."

"Do you plan on taking her back to where you come from?", Hershel inquired. He managed to rise from his seat to rummage through a portion of his library where he kept what she came for that night. He opened the hallowed book to remove a velvet drawstring pouch. He shut the faux book, placed it back against the shelf, and handed it to the eager woman. "She will always find evil in this world. It's a necessary part of life. There would be no light without darkness. You can't protect her from everything. The best you can do is prepare her to fight to defend herself."

"I will do my best, old man", the woman stood up, her hands fixed the long skirt and jacket she wore. "You did a brave thing standing up to Max. I would protect you but I'm not at my strongest right now. I took one hell of a beating against a warlock in LA. Besides, I can hear you begging for death. This has been a long time coming for you, Hershel. Thank you for giving me this." Her hands raised the pouch up before she tucked into her jacket pocket.

"I've already been dead, Helena", Hershel sighed. His eyes focused in on the framed picture of his son placed on the desk. He could feel his tears start to fill his eyes so he faced the window. "I've been waiting for decades. My wife and I feel empty without him. I don't have her energy or positive outlook on life anymore. It's my time….But I wish you luck. You're going to need it." He shut his eyes and felt a warm kiss on his aged cheek.

"Goodbye, Hershel Johnson."

* * *

><p>A father and daughter were singled out from the rest in Max's Video store. The two were buried away in the back where their conversation remained private. Well, as private for Dwayne, who suspiciously kept his gaze on the door. Maria ended her shift and nobody was left to watch the floor but them. Max was desperate for help; nobody had answered the 'HELP WANTED' sign in the window yet.<p>

Paul circled around the perimeter. His hands touched nearly every cover on the shelf before he stopped and picked up a copy of 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High'. He grinned at the memory of them watching the movie in the theater. The only reason they paid it any attention was for Phoebe Cates in a signature red bikini and a risqué carrot scene or so they overheard from the victims they swooped in on for dinner one night.

"I had a new found love for vegetables", Paul snickered, his eyebrows cheekily raised up and down. "If only all girls were taught this in school, then I could have dodged some teeth."

"And braces", Dwayne chimed in. He needed to distract himself from the blame "Oh, wait I forgot. Marko's sister had them off already."

"Real funny", Marko sarcastically replied. He pointed a finger at the door where Max was having a screaming match at his daughter. "Do you think Max will ever remove the stick from his ass?"

"Probably never."

David paid no attention to the rest of the Lost Boys. He studied the locals weaving in and out the street in front of Max's video store. Whatever he sensed could have even been living among them for years. He would have no clue what to even look for in the enemy Hershel described to him. All he wanted to do was to back away to keep the boys safe. They could handle themselves, but he wanted no part in a battle which didn't concern them.

The crowds parted in two so perfectly, David thought it was almost a mirage. He caught a glimpse of a woman wearing a dark jacket and a sequin skirt. Blue met green when their eyes matched up from a distance apart. The woman stood there without being bumped into by the rushing town folk. He scooted closer to the glass. He even placed a hand on the window to lean in closer to get a better view of her. The woman disappeared in the time it took him to inch closer in her direction. He wiped the glass to make sure he was certain she had vanished. He turned back to the boys and once again to the window. It was definitely a strange night.

* * *

><p>"Where do you think you guys were going, huh?", Max angrily interrogated. His hands were resting on his hips which forced his jacket corners to stick straight out. He stood staring down at his quiet daughter whose eyes were on the floor. "You never think for yourself when you're around them. I should just give you the matches and gasoline so you can burn this place down too. Are you even listening to me, Jamie?<p>

Jamie lifted her chin up to face her fuming father. She had tuned the same old song out about five minutes prior to him ceasing the conversation. The bravery she wanted to exude retreated back inside her meek shell. Her face look defeated and tired of fighting a battle she could never win. "I'm listening, dad", she quietly spoke. "The guys were only trying to help me out. They weren't getting me into trouble."

"Well, good", Max simmered down. He placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Maybe you should go back home. You are too bright of a girl to stay here in Santa Carla. I wanted you home but maybe I'm being the selfish one here. I can't keep raising you around wolves anymore. My protecting you will only cause you harm in the end. You need to be with people of your own kind."

"My own kind?", Jamie wondered aloud. The words Max spoke left a bitter taste in her mouth. He always struck the wrong chord without using finesse when it came to her feelings. She grew frustrated with him to the point where she stormed towards the door. "I don't know what my kind is, Max! But maybe you're right. I'm going back home. I had something good back there that made me happy when I wasn't around this freaky bullshit." She opened the door and slammed it shut.

Max opened the door after her. He stood in the doorway calling after her daughter. "Jamie! Don't walk out on me, young lady!", he hollered, his eyes quickly fell to make sure nobody was paying attention to them in the store. Luckily, the boys vacated every mortal from inhabiting the store from their lack of customer service. He caught up to his daughter before she had a chance to leave and grabbed her arm to calm her down. "Jamie! I said wait!"

Jamie wiggled her arm under his tough grasp but his strength was impossible to break. "Don't touch me!", Jamie demanded. She turned her body and used her other hand to push him away. She raised her voice even higher from the rage boiling in her blood. "I said don't touch me!" An unseen force pushed him away from her trembling body. She sent him flying into the Ghostbusters promotional display.

Max groaned while the energy jolt stunned his cold skin. His giant body rested in the smashed advertisement for a few seconds until he was regaining strength to move again. The force she used on him pricked at his dead body. He couldn't speak a word. He only stared up at his confused daughter who did not help him up or apologize for what she did. For once, the head vampire felt helpless while his daughter ran away from shame into the night. He smacked a piece of broken cardboard with his hand.

"Don't just stand there boys!", Max commanded. "Go after her!"

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>**The Lost Boys is the sole property of Warner Bros. This is a nonprofit work of fiction.

**Author's Note:** I finally updated. I'm sorry for the delay. I have been revising this chapter a million times but courtesy of my Spotify playlists I have found some sanity and found good tunes to get the creativity flowing again. I do want to thank WithLoveForever, Raindrop and Emzy2K11 for their kind reviews. I was inspired to revise the first two chapters just to give a little more insight to the story. I hope you guys like them if you choose to reread them. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I will post another update very soon.


	5. Shelter From The Storm

V. "Shelter From The Storm"

* * *

><p>The shocking electricity pulsated in her clammy fingertips. Jamie stared at the insides of her hands in awe of what she managed to do with a simple thought. She traced the curved patterns of her fingerprints over and over again as if she would find some insight to something she missed. Nothing glowed in a freaky science fiction way so she could blend with humans again. She was scared of what harm she could do to others or even herself. She barricaded herself in the one spot she hoped the boys would never find her: the confession booth of a local church. The boys could never step foot on holy ground.<p>

She wondered what Max would do when he tracked her down. He was not the perfect man he painted himself out to be to the townspeople of Santa Carla. He never consoled her like a parent normally would when their child was in desperate need of reassurance. He pressured her into excelling into a major which never interested her as if she were entered in a competition between mortals. The word 'mortal' made her shudder since she clearly had no lead in what she truly had been all along. She retraced her entire day from the beginning even before she went to bed. All she could remember was the pendant and Hershel Johnson as two factors which changed the game.

She closed her eyes while she held the necklace in her hands. Although she was more spiritual than religious, Jamie prayed for the first time in a long time for clarity through the chaos. She tilted her head back against the booth when she came to terms with what she needed to do to survive the night. She had to be brave and force herself to stop being afraid of Max. She needed to exit the church and find out who she really was in the world. She found strength to confidently walk down the steps of the church exit. She turned to face the empty streets before proceeding to head for the Johnson residence. She did not know the address beforehand but something told her she had no problem figuring it out while her pendant flashed.

"Figures you would play against the vampire myth", a voice broke the silence. The unseen entity crunched over fallen leaves when they stepped closer towards her direction. "I thought you were raised better than to run and hide when times got tough. You still have so much to learn about the world. Nineteen is still so young. You won't have your whole life ahead of you if you keep running off on your own at this time of night…"

"Who the hell are you?", Jamie snapped. She tried her best to hide that she had been afraid of the dark ever since she snuck up on the boys before they vamped out on a couple tourists. She knew the brutal killers in the town were not just supernatural, but twisted mortals with a taste for murder. She lacked a weapon to defend herself if the mysterious voice belonged to another vampire. She had to pretend that she came armed and was dangerous. "I wouldn't come closer if I were you."

"I'm not here to harm you…", the voice carried on. A woman revealed herself to Jamie after stepping out from behind the brush. "Actually, it's quite the opposite. The name is Helena and I already know you are Jamie. I'm here to help you. If you choose to accept my proposal, then you will have protection from the vampires. Max has been a bigger pain in my ass for the last century than he has been for you when he's been a piss poor version of Daddy Warbucks. I can stop those who are coming to hurt you. Max won't save you from them."

"Who are these people?", Jamie asked. She was skeptical when the stranger was already aware of her entire life story. She felt her temper flare when the possibility of Max not being able to protect her sunk into her mind. She hoped the woman ahead of her was just feeding her lies to gain her alliance. She raised an eyebrow to cop attitude with her facial expression. " And why does it matter to you? You don't care for my father. Nothing should concern you. You don't even know me."

"You're a clever little witch", Helena commented. "Let's just say I knew your mother really well back when she was alive. You do have her spirit in you. You haven't mastered your craft and it's why I followed you to the west coast. I knew this day would come before Max. I've been preparing for it your whole life. You need me and I need you. Together our magic will stop the forces closing in on your trail. I can't go into details out here it's not entirely safe but you need to trust me."

"You're asking me to trust a complete stranger who claims I'm a witch?"

"It seemed damn good to me considering you are going to be on someone's menu tonight if you stay out here by yourself. You're a wreck if you can't control your powers. But if you really want to be alone, I understand. This is a lot to take in right now. I'm going to give you time to think about my offer. No hard feelings if you don't let me help you. You will know how to find me if you need me. The same way you are going to find where Hershel Johnson lives tonight. Take care, Jamie. We will meet again soon."

* * *

><p>The Johnson residence was a quaint ivory home with walnut trim. The family home was in a historical part of town. The block was quiet except for a few houses down where a television flashed through a sheer curtained window as a couple laughed at a late night comedy show on their living room couch. A cautious Jamie hugged the rose bushes versus the sidewalk to blend in with the scenery. Her knee was pricked by a few sharp thorns but she urged forward to the pathway to where she sensed Hershel. It amazed her to feel certainty about tracking someone down. She didn't understand how her new awakening worked but there were no complaints to be made. She very well couldn't knock on the door so she snuck against the right exterior to a lit window which seemed low enough to breach.<p>

Jamie placed her hands on the windowsill before she lifted her head up to peer through the window. She heard voices the closer she leaned her ear to the glass, but the curtains blocked her view. The other voice with Hershel was unmistakable. It was Max. He had beat her to the punch before she had a chance to meet with him first. She could gather from her father's tone that the conversation was not pleasant so it was time to intervene. She was about to pry the window open when a hand suddenly stopped her. She turned to face David whose fingers were pressed to his lips to suggest she remain quiet with a "sshhing" motion. He ruined her sleuthing before she could save Hershel. She gave him an angry glare before she shoved him away to the wet lawn.

David flew back to yank her away from the window. He grabbed her by the waist to wrestle her away from seeing a horrific sight. He moved them to the back of the house while he had his sights on the front porch. He peered over the corner until he heard the front door squeak open. Dress shoes clunked against the hallow porch while someone whistled down the steps in an upbeat tune. He saw Max get into his car and drive away down the street. He released his grip on Jamie. "What the hell were you trying to do?", he demanded. "Are you trying to expose everyone?"

"Hershel needed my help", Jamie replied. She straightened her clothes out and finger combed her tousled hair from their power struggle. She gloomily sensed Hershel left the world. Her hysteria was causing her to lose her temper. "Why did you stop me? I knew what my father was going to do to him! I could have saved him! He helped me. It was the least I could have done for the man. Now he's gone because of you! You practically killed him by not letting me protect him! Not that it surprises me with you being a vampire and all. You probably get off on it!"

"You killed him when you came into the picture, sweetheart", David coldly corrected. "He wanted to die. Surely, you're not that special if you can't even sense when someone is crying out for death. You could smell it off the guy from miles away. You should watch who you are talking to these days. I don't see anyone else trying to help you. I came here because it's safer for you in the cave. Something tells me your dad isn't exactly going to fall asleep early tonight. He is out for blood. Yours specifically so you better patch your knee up."

Jamie glanced down at the blood trails on her punctured knee. "I'm fine on my own", Jamie refused his offer. She turned to walk back towards the front of the house. She stopped to face the blood splattered curtain. Her eyes widened at the scarlet stains which horrified her to the point where she started to dry heave over the planters near the front exterior. She raised her body and turned to face David. She had to pretend to not lose herself over witnessing death. "Okay, maybe I'm not one hundred percent fine with this whole death thing. But I'm going to figure this out on my own without you guys. Stay away from me, David."

"You can run but you can't hide from us, Jamie. We will always find you. Remember that…"

* * *

><p>Andrew sank into his couch cushions. He wrapped one arm around a pillow with a cold beer in hand, while the other flipped through local channels broadcasted on his beat up television. He wanted to upgrade to a newer model, but college was breaking his bank account. He settled on a news show until he thought he heard a tapping on his door. He instinctively pressed the volume buttons up to drown out the bickering neighbors but he heard it again and turned his head to face his apartment door.<p>

"Who is it?", he yelled, too lazy to move. "If it's something you're selling, I ain't buying it, buddy…"

Blinding white flashes of light accompanied the sound of revving motorcycle engines and taunting laughter. His first story apartment was a hotspot for whatever mysterious prank somebody picked him out for. The dirty dishes in the sink jumped while the ground rolled from beneath him. The neon bar sign sparked and shorted out on his empty walls. He saw the blinds swing away from the living room window so he walked closer to get a better view of what was going on outside.

"Whoever is outside, just show yourselves…", Andrew shouted with a tightened fist. "I'm not afraid of you."

The game ended. His apartment remained intact without permanent damage. How could it have been possible? Was he dreaming? He dropped his beer on the coffee table to sober himself up. He was losing his mind tonight. He turned to face the couch again but instead saw three strangers making themselves at home in his apartment. His blue eyes blinked a couple times to slap himself back into reality. But this was actually happening.

"Never invite anyone in", Marko spoke, his lips curved into a smirk, while he opened the refrigerator. His nose turned at the stench of stale Chinese food leftovers and a couple molded science projects wrapped in foil. He tossed bottles to the other Lost Boys in the perimeter. "You are just asking for trouble."

"Who are you guys?", Andrew managed to find words again. He kept eyeing the wild-eyed blonde who rummaged through his vinyl collection. He was chucking vintage records over his shoulder that his grandparents passed down to him. He walked over to pry the record from Paul's hands and police a potential looter. "Hey, be careful with those!"

"Chill out, man", Paul suggested. He threw his hands up to show they were empty and meant no harm to him. His short attention span led him to the instrument box leaning against the wall. It didn't look like anything that interested him, but it didn't stop him from flipping the latches open and uncovering a saxophone. He busted into laughter. "Oh, man! Jamie likes herself a jazz man."

Dwayne lifted his head up from the car magazines he was flipping through on the couch. He shook his dark head of hair in dismay at the dating choices she made in life. She wasn't exactly the epitome of cool, but dating a wannabe sax man was pretty low even for herself. Everyone wanted to be a musician or thought they had the tunes to make it big. All it left people with was the stains of smeared eyeliner and a pierced ear hole that would never close properly. Speaking of, his earring caught Dwayne's eye. It looked exactly like the one Marko had years ago that he lost one night.

Marko did a double take of the silver hanging from the mortal's ear. He flew over to Andrew to examine the earring. He wanted to yank his entire ear off, but he just pulled the metal jewelry out of the pierced flesh. The snag caused Andrew to wince which gave Marko great satisfaction in giving him what he deserved for wearing stolen goods. "You should really stop the bleeding", Marko suggested, while he swapped out earrings. "It's going to make you a magnet when we take you back home."

"I'm not going anywhere with you guys", Andrew protested, while he cupped his ear with a napkin he yanked from the holder on the kitchen table. The bleeding refused to end making him grow queasy. He hated blood to begin with, but since he was the source of the leaking wound, he gave himself anxiety about his blood complex. He could feel his heart race while the walls closed in on him. He dropped napkin after napkin-all which were soaked with his blood. "I think I might need a doctor, man."

The bleeding young man fainted on the shag carpet in mere seconds.

"See, I knew you would see it our way", Marko grinned, still calmly in the conversation as if nothing happened. He lifted the taller male off the plush ground, flung him over his shoulder as if he were weightless, and threw his empty beer bottle against the wall until it cracked inside the trashcan by the refrigerator. He turned to face his brothers who were right in line behind him. "That was easier than I thought."

"The guy plays the sax", Dwayne scoffed, while he held the door open for Marko. "Was it really going to be any other way?" Someone was missing before he shut the door. His eyes examined Paul wrapping up the cord to the record player and not leaving without his arms full of stolen music equipment. "Jesus, Paul. What the hell are you doing?"

"I might need the upgrade someday", Paul grinned, while he carried the portable turntable and record box. His face was a little too eager without remorse for robbing the guy blind. He saw nothing wrong with taking some homey touches for Andrew. "I'm just being a good host. He needs to feel at home when he's at the cave."

"He's a prisoner, moron", Marko reminded his dopey brother. "He's not supposed to feel at home. It's stuff like this that gets David pissed off at us."

"I'm improving the situation", Paul defended his actions. "Well, my situation. Someone's skateboard keeps crashing into my stereo. It might not live to see another day with this unnecessary abuse. I'm doing this for all of us."

"Shut up", Dwayne ordered, while he rolled his eyes. "Let me give you a hand. You can't even stand straight, dude."

* * *

><p>The violet, neon sign brought on déjà vu for Jamie. She stood in the desolate part of town from the previous night where Paul and her were interrupted. Her hands twisted the metal knob and she limped into the psychic business to find Helena behind the counter. She looked down at the chimes which were a dead giveaway. "I'm was hoping you could help me figure out what exactly is going on these days", she started, while she closed the door behind her. She had few options of where to go before dawn broke, and it seemed the most logical to her to partner with someone who understand monsters were real. "I need your help, Helena."<p>

Helena welcomed the lost girl into her sanctuary. She locked the door, swung heavy drapery over the windows and turned off the business sign to keep the place hidden from the street. Her hand instinctively soothed the young woman's knee while she healed the scrapes on her leg by simply hovering a quick hand over the bleeding skin. She led the woman into her small living quarters behind the storefront. "It's okay, Jamie. I'm here and I won't let anyone hurt you. We are going to get through this together. Do you trust me?"

Jamie nodded. "I know you from somewhere", she began, while she wiped a stray tear from her eye. She could no longer contain all the emotions which befuddled her. She was a wreck tonight, but luckily she found someone who could help her pick up the pieces. "I don't believe any of this is a coincidence anymore. The longer this night gets the clearer everything becomes to me. Max isn't my father. I'm no more of a vampire than you are a stranger to me. You know everything about what is going on. I know you do, Helena. Please tell me…"

"What do you know, Jamie?", Helena shifted the attention back to her accuser. "It doesn't matter what I know in all of this mess. You have to find the answer within yourself. Nobody can help you discover the cure if you can't decipher your curse. Think about things that have happened to you. Think about those who know you the best. The answer will come from within. You just need to look harder. Everything you need is stored in your memories. Your power isn't even fully accessible if you block out what has been done to you."

Jamie stared off into the void of her mind. She was lost there briefly, until strong flashes hurt her brain, while they struggled their way to the be seen again. "I don't know how to channel anything", she complained, while she placed her hands over her face. "I have no curse on me! I'm just a girl who was raised by my father in Santa Carla. I have no mother. I'm nineteen going on-" She ranted out facts while staring at the pendant off Helena's neck which was almost identical to her own. A light bulb turned on in her mind. "I'm not just nineteen. Am I?"

"Age is a funny thing for a witch", Helena smiled, while she poured warm tea from the pot into the floral porcelain cup in her hand. "I'm not quite sure how to explain this being I've only ever had one incarnation my whole life. You, my dear, are an entirely different story. One that I should probably share over something stronger than an Earl Grey. Come to think of it, how do you like whiskey?"

"Whiskey sounds great if I'm having a double", Jamie replied, while she removed her denim jacket and neatly folded it over the small loveseat couch. She watched Helena reach into a hidden alcohol stash beneath the kitchen sink. She politely thanked Helena while she handed her the glass. "What did you mean by me having multiple incarnations?"

"Technically reincarnations", Helena corrected. "Imagine being able to be born exactly how you look today with your same soul every single time. I haven't seen you since your most recent one here when you were hiding out in the hotel Max owned before the curse my mother placed on you."

"What curse?"

"You were not supposed to be able to resurrect the dead. It's unnatural to my mother's coven. They cheated everything else but a person's time to descend into the afterlife. They saw you as an abomination and threat to our ancestry. She cursed you into a lifetime of being reborn over and over again as punishment for not allowing those you brought back to rest. Max has been looking after you while I have been on the run trying to escape my own demons."

"Why couldn't you and my mom break my curse?"

"Because your mom is the one who kills you each time you die", Helena answered, while she exhaled a deep sigh. "It's your mother's curse for bringing you into this world. My mother saw it fitting that she should be the one to take you out of it. You have never died once without it being by her hand except for one time-"

"When?", Jamie asked, curious at the chance that this time life could be different. "Who did it?"

"One of those vampire friends of yours", Helena started. "The one with the crazy hair."

"You need to be specific here, Helena."

"Blonde. Tall. Blue eyes. Laughs like a hyena."

"Paul!", Jamie stood up from the cushions. She couldn't believe he had caused her to die but it was no surprise when he killed the only human she bonded with in this life. The wild stories about newborn vampire Paul gave her nightmares. "Paul killed me! I knew it! He just gets under my skin and annoys me so much. I'm so paying him back for that!"

"It was an accident when you were thirteen", Helena elaborated. "You were following him like you always were while he was balancing off the edge off the bluff. You slipped when he wasn't looking and fell into the ocean before he could catch you. I forced him to give you his blood to bring you back. I'd do it myself but it would leave a trail. I needed his blood to heal your head injury on the surface. Their blood has magical properties like ours. He doesn't remember anything. I spelled all of them from remembering what you always have been."

"So what now?", Jamie cocked an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to wait for my mom to kill me."

"No", Helena countered. "We fight back so you get the life you deserve on your terms."

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>**The Lost Boys is the sole property of Warner Bros. This is a nonprofit work of fiction.

**Author's Note:** Huge thank you to CastleRockGirl for her amazing reviews! Also thank you for the new follows and faves. I had a lot of material to cover in this chapter so I hope nobody was confused. I'd love to hear feedback on what you guys think :) Thank you for taking the time to read :)


End file.
